The connection of subsea tubular members, such as risers, requires that the connection not be released by pressure to which it is exposed. It is also necessary that the connection release when it is desired to be released.
In the past many connectors have relied upon the angle of taper between the locking dogs or ring and the actuator mechanism to be a self locking taper. This creates problems in that it relies upon the coefficient of friction remaining the same and the application of a lubricant may so change this coefficient that the taper no longer is a self locking taper.
The A. G. Ahlstone U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,217 discloses a subsea connector which is remotely actuated and relies upon a wedge ring to force locking dogs into engagement with grooves to complete the connection and relies on a self locking taper between the two to maintain the locked position.
The M. B. Jansen, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,267 discloses a pipe connector which is stated to be particularly useful for connecting underwater riser sections and includes remotely actuated hydraulic means for moving locking dogs radially inward into locked position and a remotely actuated hydraulic means for moving a cam into position to lock the dogs and their actuator in locked position.
The K. C. Saliger et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,222,592 discloses another type of connector for underwater members which includes an over-the-center toggle mechanism which is remotely actuated to move locking dogs into engagement with their grooves and the past-center position of the toggle mechanism resists unlatching of the dogs from their grooves.
The W. M. Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,729 discloses a connector suitable for underwater connection of two tubular members which wedges a locking ring into engagement to join the two members and includes a means to wedge the locking ring to release position when the wedging member is moved to release position.
Examples of the use of collet type of connectors for the connection of tubular members are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,265,470, 4,049,297 and 4,074,912. While these patents disclose connectors which are locked in their latched position none of them disclose any means for retaining the camming or wedging actuator member in both its latched position and its unlatched position.